The fastest man alive takes on the man of steel. Who comes out on top?
Ever wondered who would win a fight between The Flash and Superman? They're two of the strongest heroes in the DC universe, so it's safe to say that it's going to be a close one. Both heroes have awesome abilities, costumes and intellects that add to a growing list of reasons why they're so powerful.
Our resident comic book experts have spent countless hours researching and number-crunching to come up with these findings. We're using a points system to score each superhero based on certain scenarios and abilities.
Brace yourself for a nerdy comparison of these two super-powered juggernauts of the DC comics universe.
A quick glance at their powers and abilities
| Abilities |
The Flash |
Superman |
| Top speed |
Faster than one planck instant (trans-time velocity) |
Mach 9350 (that's 9350 times the speed of sound!) |
| Strength |
Capable of hitting an object with the mass force of a white dwarf star |
Capable of lifting the Earth (5.972 sextillion metric tons) |
| Invulnerability |
Only invulnerable when moving at super speeds or phasing through objects |
Virtually indestructible |
| Energy absorption |
Requires the consumption of calories or access to the speed force in order to replenish energy |
Requires exposure to the sun's radiation in order to replenish energy |
| Healing factor |
Rapid cell regeneration enables him to heal 10 times faster than any normal human |
Heals instantly unless he's being exposed to kryptonite or hasn't been recharged by the sun's radiation |
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Over in a Flash?
Both heroes are capable of moving at incredible speeds. But which one is faster? It's The Flash. By a long shot. Superman doesn't even come close to matching the unbelievable speeds that The Flash can achieve.
To put things in perspective, consider this. The Flash once saved 500,000 people from a nuclear blast by picking each person up and running them back to a safe location in 0000.1 microseconds. He travelled at 13 trillion times the speed of light to achieve this.
Oh, and there's also that one time when he reached trans-time velocity in order to beat an alien's teleporter.
But it's not just The Flash's body that reaches unbelievable speeds. He can also think at the speed of light. He's capable of perceiving events that last less than an attosecond (an attosecond is to a second what a second is to about 31.71 billion years). This super-fast superhero can make thousands of calculations in an instant.
Superman can run and think fast, he just doesn't come close to The Flash's top speed. In all instances of racing The Flash, Superman has never bested him, and throughout the entire history of DC comics, these two heroes have drawn twice. The Flash has bested Superman on two occasions so far.
First point goes to The Flash!
Superman 0-1 The Flash
The battle of the costumes
The costumes of Superman and The Flash are both just as iconic. But how well do they help our heroes when they're out saving the world?
The design of
Superman's costume has gone through many iterations over the years. What usually remains is the same red-and-blue colour scheme along with the iconic Kryptonian symbol for hope.
Most modern runs of the Superman comics suggest that his suit is made of a Kryptonian material that's just as indestructible as Superman. In the new 52 run of comics,
Superman's suit is made of Kryptonian nano tech that assembles itself from the chest plate and moulds outward onto his body.
The look and function of the
Flash costumes have also drastically evolved over the years. The original costume was worn by Jay Garrick, which was visually inspired by the Greek god Hermes. It included wings on the boots and the silver helmet he would use as a weapon.
The new 52 version of the
Flash's costume is a sleek and more modern design. The entire suit is constructed from a unique metal that pops out of his ring that expands and moulds around him. The lightning bolts on his cowl act as radio receivers that can help relay vital information to Barry while he's in the heat of battle. The
Flash's suit is also designed to withstand dangerously high levels of friction that would otherwise harm him if the suit wasn't on.
While Superman's suit will never fall apart on him, it doesn't really provide any tactical advantages that The Flash's suit offers. With valuable information being relayed to the Flash from his team at Star Labs, Barry will always get the upper hand on his opponents when he needs it the most.
Second point goes to The Flash.
Superman 0-2 The Flash
Superhuman abilities
Both heroes we've compared have extraordinary abilities they rely on to gain the upper hand in a fight. Superman's long list includes flight, super strength, heat vision, ice breath, x-ray vision, and countless others. This variety of abilities allows him the freedom to get creative with his tactics.
The Flash's super speed may seem like a one-dimensional attack, but there's so much more to it. With his speed there's a long list of things he can do with it. Previous adventures have seen Barry throw lightning bolts, phase through matter – and most shockingly, time travel!
Performing time travel and reaching top speeds are made possible by The Flash tapping into a mysterious source of energy called the 'speed force'. He is by no means short-handed when it comes to the array of attacks he can pull off with this extraordinary speed.
So in terms of ability who gets the upper hand? Our money's on The Flash. His super speed gives him the uncanny advantage to outsmart and outrun Superman.
The third point goes to The Flash!
Superman 0-3 The Flash
Weaknesses
Both our heroes have fairly-obvious weaknesses that have been exploited in past comics, movies, and TV shows. When it comes to exploiting these weaknesses, it's simply a matter of catching them off guard.
Superman's two main weaknesses are kryptonite and a lack of exposure to the Earth's sun. Exposure to Kryptonite prevents him from using his powers – leaving the caped superhero open to physical harm because his body can no longer heal.
Superman also relies on the Earth's sun to constantly replenish his power cells. So, if Superman is forced into an environment with no sun, his energy levels will deplete, rendering him powerless.
The Flash's weakness may surprise you. He's vulnerable to most attacks. He bleeds, bruises, and breaks just like anyone else being hit by an immense force, but it barely ever happens because people struggle to hit him in the first place! However, The Flash has been known to resist telepathic attacks simply because he thinks too fast.
If an adversary like Superman manages to land even one blow on The Flash, it could already be game over for the scarlet-clad speedster. In order to even hit The Flash, Superman would have to catch him off guard.
While Superman is invulnerable to speed attacks, exposure to Kryptonite will render him instantly powerless and level the playing field. That's the only real chance The Flash has for inflicting damage on Superman.
In terms of weaknesses, this one is too close to call! Both heroes get a point.
Superman 1-4 The Flash
The Flash wins!
There you have it folks. The results are in. A convincing victory for The Flash and clear-cut favourite for an epic fight between two of the most powerful characters in the DC comics universe.
What did you think of the outcome? Are there any points we missed? Let us know in the comments section below. We'd love to hear your thoughts!
We'll never have the abilities of our super-powered friends, but that doesn't mean you can't look like one of them. Check out our range of Superman and The Flash costumes today!
